Effective treatment of diabetic diarrhoea with somatostatin analogue, octreotide

A 22 year old insulin dependent diabetic with high volume, secretory chronic diarrhoea refractory to standard andiarrhoeal drugs was treated with the somatostatin analogue octreotide, 50 micrograms twice daily by subcutaneous injection. She improved markedly with a decrease in mean stool weight from 1170 g/24 h range 440-2900 g) to 440 g/24 h (range 180-800 g) (p < 0.05). Stool frequency also decreased from six (range two to 12) to one (range one to three) bowel movements per day (p < 0.01). Mouth to caecum transit time increased from 45 minutes to > 210 minutes, although total gut transit time was unchanged and remained rapid at nine hours. Thus octreotide can reduce stool volume and frequency in high volume diabetic diarrhoea when conventional antidiarrhoeal agents have failed. Its therapeutic benefit appeared to be predominantly related to a marked increase in mouth to caecum transit time.